Wireless devices such as smart phones and tablet computing devices continue to proliferate, adding to the total number of mobile devices that seek pervasive Wi-Fi connectivity. The rapid introduction of advancing apps and Internet use on these mobile devices adds to the challenge of network support in an enterprise environment. In particular, enterprises are faced with significant challenges in identifying best practices in their build out of their wireless local area network (WLAN) environment.
WLAN networks deal with unpredictable traffic and dynamic RF situations (e.g., variable signal strength) which result in unpredictable required bandwidth for data transmission over the air. Typically, this kind of demand for bandwidth is typically handled by known techniques of buffering and/or bandwidth over provisioning. For example, there may be a WLAN where there are Voice Over IP (VoIP) clients as well clients gaming applications. In this example we can safely assume that VoIP clients will use the channel linearly while the gaming clients will see peaks in wireless usage. During the peaks of WLAN usage by the gaming clients, the access point of the WLAN will struggle to keep the Quality of Service (QoS) above the agreed level. In some situations, if there are an increased number of gaming clients, even VoIP clients may end up not receiving the required Quality of Experience (QoE).
The 802.11e protocol, promulgated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), provides the mechanism to define the QoS requirement and access point manages the traffic according to application QoS requirement. However, the RF condition and traffic data remain so unpredictable that there is need for a better strategy to introduce a well-designed QoE support solution that can quickly respond to the high fluctuated network traffic before the QoE goes below the satisfactory level. WLAN is becoming the defacto standard for accessing networks and there is a flood of devices accessing the network with bandwidth intensive applications.
What is needed is a robust technique dynamic application bandwidth throttling and/or station steering for access points based on QoE (quality of experience) on a wireless network.